Zach LaVine’s return has made the Bulls more watchable.
Chicago’s maligned front office triumvirate of John Paxson, Gar Forman, and Doug Collins ensured that would be the case by dealing Nikola Mirotic, he of the 24.3 point and 9.2 rebound stat line per 36 minutes on a blistering 59% eFG%, to the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday. Mirotic heads to the Bayou along with the return of a 2018 second-round pick that was originally New Orleans’ in exchange for a lightly-protected first round pick, the ability for Chicago to swap 2021 second-rounders, Omer Asik (owed $11.3m for 2018-19 with a $3m buyout for 2019-20), and expiring veteran minimum deals in Jameer Nelson and soon-to-be-cut Tony Allen.
It was a heavy financial price to pay for owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who has often been criticized publicly for his perceived cheapness as it relates to the Bulls (as recently as the team’s sell-off of 2017 second-rounder Jordan Bell to Golden State for $3.5m). Several reports suggested that taking on Asik alone would allow a team to receive a first-rounder, let alone yielding a player of Mirotic’s caliber and a second-rounder in such an exchange. The fact the trade materialized more than a week before the deadline lends credence to the likelihood that a confluence of factors led to its execution.
After a previous iteration of the Bulls-Pelicans trade fell through Tuesday, the Bulls had already determined they would not play Mirotic in advance of the deadline, adding merely another layer onto the awkwardness surrounding him borne of the well-documented Bobby Portis fight. That discomfort, in combination with the premium placed on first-round picks in this draft, a lack of motivated buyers for Mirotic, the Bulls apparent disinterest in second round picks, and their desire to get worse and move up in this draft seems to have in concert resulted in the deal being struck.
Chicago is now likely to own two of the ballyhooed 2018 draft’s top 18 picks, with the potential for better if Mirotic (and likely Greg Monroe) don’t fill the void left by all-star DeMarcus Cousins’ blown Achilles. That first-rounder, which only remains with New Orleans if they crack the top 5 selections in 2018 and top 8 in 2019 before becoming unprotected in 2020, represents yet another brick in a suddenly-interesting Bulls foundation. All three assets acquired in the Jimmy Butler deal – Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine and especially Lauri Markannen — look like keepers on a future contender. Tack that onto the two firsts (one of which should yield a blue-chip player) and league-high cap room, and Chicago may have the vague makings of a future contender in a post-LeBron Eastern Conference.
GarPax have been far from perfect, but if recent trends continue, perhaps the Madhouse will be restored on Madison Ave.
